Chapter’s Coffee Cafe & Snack Bar at The Lewiston Public Library
Purposeful Job Skills in the Heart of Lewiston
The Family & Friends Down Syndrome Association of Niagara, Inc. (DSA Niagara, a 501c3 public charity) operates Chapter’s Coffee Cafe and Snack Bar in collaboration with The Lewiston Public Library. Following its Grand Opening on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 in the library’s main lobby at 305 South 8th Street, Lewiston, NY 14092, the cafe serves hot and cold beverages, freshly brewed coffee, teas, hot chocolate, and prepackaged snacks for both adults and children.
United Way Partnership: Chapter’s Cafe is partially funded by The United Way of Greater Niagara as one of United Way’s 2025 funded agencies.
- Venue: Main Lobby, The Lewiston Public Library, 305 South 8th Street, Lewiston, NY 14092 (Library Tel: 716-754-4720).
- Weekly Operating Schedule: Open every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon.
- Cafe Menu Offerings: Freshly brewed coffee, specialty teas, rich hot chocolate, bottled cold beverages, and prepackaged sweet and savory snacks for library patrons and visitors.
- Community Mission: Fosters daily face-to-face interaction between neurodiverse young adults and Lewiston residents.
We are actively welcoming additional participants to serve our community at Chapter’s Cafe:
- Age & Program Eligibility: Participants must be 18 to 40 years of age with Down syndrome or another developmental learning disability.
- Support Structure: Must participate in a Self-Directed Program accompanied by their Direct Support Professional (DSP).
- Skill Focus: Designed for individuals interested in learning preliminary customer service, point-of-sale, inventory, and hospitality job skills in a supportive community setting.
- Direct Enrollment Contacts:
• Christine Vescio-Sirianni, Vice President & IRS BMF Liaison: (716) 246-2144 · christine.sirianni@dsaniagara.org
• Deborah Fleck, President & Treasurer: (716) 246-2144 · info@dsaniagara.org
Two Decades of Partnership with The Lewiston Public Library (2006–2025)
Our partnership with the Lewiston Public Library at 305 South 8th Street spans nearly twenty years. In 2006, DSAN collaborated with the Lewiston Public Library and the NIOGA Library System to establish the “Living and Learning with Down Syndrome Today” lending collection of fiction, non-fiction, research literature, and educational DVDs, made possible in memory of local teacher Mrs. Angela R. Sirianni and The Friends and Family Foundation of “Paulie G.” Graczyk.
Proud Member Since 2023: Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce (NRRCC) in Lewiston, NY.
United Way Partner: Chapter’s Cafe is partially funded by The United Way of Greater Niagara as a 2025 funded agency.